Prepping myths you need to stop believing

There are many prepping myths that have no basis in reality. They are often perpetuated by media and word of mouth as incredible feats of survival. However, if they sound unbelievable, there’s probably a good reason why. Following these common survival myths and old wives’ tales can easily get you killed when SHTF. Keep your mind sharp and avoid falling for any of these common prepping myths. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.net)

Drinking your own urine is safe

In a survival situation, having access to clean drinking water should be one of your priorities. Some people may resort to drinking their own urine when all other sources of water have been exhausted. Not only is this option not safe or hygienic, it will only make you even more dehydrated in the long run. Urine is full of waste products that your kidneys have already expelled from your body. By drinking your urine, you are only reintroducing this waste back into your body. Instead of drinking your urine, you can use it to wet a piece of cloth and wrap it around your body. As the liquid evaporates, it will produce a cooling effect. You might end up smelling like your own pee, but it’s better than dying of heat stroke. (Related: Common survival myths that could literally get you killed.)

It is easy to start a fire without tools

You might have seen situations in movies wherein a character rubs two wooden sticks together and immediately produces a small flame. While it is technically possible to start a fire using this method, it is actually a lot more difficult than most people realize. It also takes a lot of practice. If you need to build a campfire, you’ll be better off with a lighter, some matches, or a ferro rod. You might also want to consider getting stormproof matches. Once normal matches get wet, they won’t work again, even if you dry them afterwards.

You can always live off the land when SHTF

Many preppers have this idea that when SHTF, they can just retreat to some remote location in the woods and bug out in the wilderness until society returns to normal. Unfortunately, this option is not feasible for everyone. If you plan to forage and hunt for food, you will need to be highly skilled and knowledgeable in these topics. Eating poisonous plants can kill you or make you violently ill. You should have an encyclopedic knowledge of your local biome to be able to identify which plants, berries, and mushrooms are edible or not. Some plants may even be edible but provide no nutrition. Hunting animals for food doesn’t only require you to be skilled enough to trap them. It also requires your area to have a large enough animal population to sustain your needs.

Packing enough survival gear can overcome your lack of skill

There is no doubt that recent advancements in technology have made it easier for people to live off the grid. However, your survival gear is only as good as your survival plan. What use is having a mountain of prepping equipment if you don’t know how to use it in the first place? Tools can make certain tasks easier, but they won’t solve all your problems. Your own ingenuity and skill can sometimes get you out of a survival situation better than all the survival gear in the world can.

You are better off as a lone wolf

Humans are naturally social creatures. Being in a group can certainly improve your chances of survival. Even just having one more person with you can make it easier to share responsibilities. It also allows at least one person to keep watch while the other sleeps.